Decisions
by mmf1212345
Summary: What happens after Finn proposes? Post 3x10
1. Chapter 1

_ "I just feel all my life, I've been wondering if I was gonna be as much of a man as my father was. Now all of a sudden, I'm up at night worried that I'm gonna become the man he was. Let's face it; I got high school hero, life zero written all over me. Except for one thing: you. You're like a beacon of light, guiding me through the darkness. You're like this big gold star and for some bizarre reason, you chose to let me love you. I feel like if I can just convince you to let me keep doing that. I'm gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be okay. _

_ "I opened up my first credit card to get this. I know that it's not like a swimming pool full of dancers or a tux, and I know it's not very big. But it's a promise. A promise to keep loving you for the rest of my life. And all you have gotta do, is say yes. Rachel Berry, will you marry me?" _

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't breathe, and one thousand thoughts were running through my mind. All of the memories, good and bad, came flooding back. The time when he broke up with me to find his "inner rock star," when he told me he loved me, when I found out that he slept with Santana, New York, everything. I took a deep breath, and prepared to give him my answer.

However, just before the words escaped my lips, I became terrified. I shot out of my chair, and sprinted towards the exit. I heard footsteps chasing after me.

"Rachel, wait!" Finn shouted, with voice heavy with desperation. I pretended that I couldn't hear him. I made my way outside, where rain was falling down in torrents. I dug the keys for my car out of my bag, thankful that I had driven myself to school today. I jumped in the car, taking comfort in its warmth.

I took a second to comprehend what had just happened. I loved him, but marrying him now would get in the way of my career. I had realized when Kurt and I were singing in New York that nothing could get in the way of my dreams, and I even told him that. However, I was also afraid to say no. Things would become incredibly awkward between us.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I saw Finn standing by the school, a forlorn expression on his face. My heart broke as I drove away.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.

I opened the solid, wood door of my home and tossed my keys on the nearest table. My dads weren't home yet, but that didn't really surprise me. They were probably working late. Besides, I just wanted to be alone right now.

I turned off all of the downstairs lights and headed up the stairs. I reached my room, and threw myself down on my frilly, pink comforter. I spent some time staring at the stars that were attached to the ceiling. Finn had helped me put them there. A sigh escaped my lips, and I again pondered the events of the day. _Why had he proposed? _I thought. He knew that I had to be focused on my dream.

Suddenly, I hear a strong knock on the door. I jumped up, terrified that a stranger was at the door. Although, if they had been meaning to harm me, they would not have knocked.

"Rach, it's me, Finn," he said. When I discovered that it was him, I was both relieved and filled with panic. "Please open up. I just want to talk."

I stood frozen in place, unable to move. I was grateful that I had turned the lights off. He couldn't be positive that I was here, and he would not just waltz in the house. I wanted to see him, but I was afraid of what he would want to talk about.

After about a minute, he stopped knocking, but he remained in my front yard. The torrents of rain had stopped, and now it was just sprinkling. I was glad, because if it had still been pouring, I definitely would've let him in. However, a miniscule amount of rain would not harm Finn, and I was neither prepared nor emotionally sound enough to speak to him.

I remained at my bedroom window, watching Finn. He was as still as a statue. After about 15 minutes, he looked up, and his eyes focused on my window. I knew that he had seen me. He slowly walked over to the door and began knocking again. Sighing, I walked down the stairs to let him in.

Finn's POV:

Rachel opened the door, finally, and I was filled with hope. Her eyes were red and puffy, so she had been crying, but she had opened the door. I knew that if I stayed in the yard for long enough she would let me in.

"Would you like something to drink?" Rach said, her tone polite and curt.

"I'm good, thanks though," I said. Why was she acting so weird? It was like we were strangers.

I stood awkwardly in the doorway for a while. She didn't say anything. She wouldn't even look at me.

"Rach," I said, "Can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about," she replied.

"C'mon, don't be like that."

"Finn, what do you want me to say? I need some moments to myself so that I can think. I thought you would have realized that after I ran out of the auditorium."

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long do you need to think?" This was killing me. I was desperate for an answer. She didn't reply. She just stood there, staring at her feet.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you too," she replied. I leaned down to kiss her, but she pulled away. "But you need to leave," she whispered, my ears barely picking up the sound.

"What, why?" I said, shocked.

"Just please, go," she whispered again.

"Rach-" I started but she cut me off.

"Go," she said, her voice stern. I hesitantly turned around and walked out the door, my hope shattered.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee

Rachel's POV:

After Finn left my house, a thousand thoughts flooded into my head. I knew that I should say no, for the sake of my career, but truthfully, I really did not want to. It was nice to know that he wanted to stay with me forever. But, if I said yes, it would be a promise, a promise that would be hard to keep. Our relationship had failed so many times in the past, and it could definitely fail again.

I went upstairs to take a shower, and get prepared for bed. I did not want to be awake when my dads came home, for they would surely want to have a conversation with me. They would notice that something was wrong, and they would question me until they got an answer. They could not know what had happened today.

After my shower, I climbed into my bed and waited for slumber to take me. It didn't however, and I was stuck awake, thinking. I tried to clear my mind, but it didn't work. Eventually, I heard my dads come home. I hear no voices, just the clacking of shoes and the jingling of keys. I expected them to come into my room and check on me, but they never did. That was odd, for they usually checked on me every night. Was something wrong?

Eventually I fell asleep, and dreams of the proposal captured my mind.

I awoke the next morning at 6 o'clock, the usual time. However, I decided that I would not use my elliptical today. I thought that it would be better to jog outside in the cool, crisp morning air. Maybe it could finally clear my head.

I chose a long route. I figured that the more fatigued I became, the less I would be able to ponder things. I passed many houses, most looking very similar. They were all moderately sized, and most were completely dark, although some had a light on. They had simple landscaping, nothing that would require much upkeep.

The morning was eerily silent, and I regretted leaving my iPod at home. I loved all kinds of music, and usually when I was thinking of a song, it was all that I could think about. It would take my mind off of certain things that I did not wish to think about. I did not have my iPod, though, so my mind drifted.

If I said no to Finn, things between us would never be the same. I was a wonderful actress, of course, so I could pretend like nothing ever happened. I might even forget, eventually, but Finn was very different than me. He had always been very sensitive, and he would most definitely not forget. I don't know if our relationship could survive that level of awkwardness.

After about half an hour of jogging, I heard a car behind me. At first, I ignored it, for I was almost home. However, it just kept on approaching. As it began to pass me, it slowed down. I turned and saw the window being rolled down.

"Rachel?" a voice asked.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Authors Note: I realize that the events in the fan fiction do not all follow what happened in reality.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.**_

"Rachel?" a voice asked.

"Quinn?" I inquired. Why was she here? We had been getting along much better lately, but I didn't think that she would stop driving just to talk to me.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You look upset." Just seeing her reminded me of all of the terrible things that she had done to me in the past year. We were sort of friends, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to confide in her. What if she hadn't really changed?

"I know that I haven't been the nicest person in the past, but I've changed. I promise. Being able to see Beth has really helped me mature, and I just want to help. I won't tell anyone," Quinn stated sincerely. She had her short, blonde hair straightened, and she was wearing a light blue cardigan with a white, ruffled tank top. I felt disgusting in my workout clothes.

"It's an extremely long story," I said. "I'm sure that you don't want to hear it.

"Get in," she said, pointing to her car door. "I've got time."

********************Decisions*********************

"Wow," Quinn said quietly. We were sitting at a table in the Lima Bean, getting coffee. I had just explained everything to her, after a great deal of convincing on her part. She just sat at the other end of the table, staring at me, her mouth agape.

"I know. However, is it really necessary to skip school for this? I need every day in order to maintain my GPA," I stated.

"Really Rachel? Get over it. It's one day," she snapped. I was shocked, for she had been pleasant to me up until this point.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean it," Quinn stammered. "I haven't been having the best day, so I'm not really in a great mood."

"What happened?" I asked, hoping that I wasn't prying too much.

"It's my dad. You know how he cheated on my mom, right?" she asked. I nodded.

"Well, he keeps on calling her, and showing up at the house, but my mom and I want nothing to do with him."

"How long has this been going on?"

"A couple of months. It's getting pretty stressful. I wish that he would just leave us alone. First he kicked me out, and then he cheated on my mom. I'm already stressed enough, because I'm worried about getting into Yale, but this just adds even more stress. He needs to realize that he hurt my mom and I too much for us to ever want him back." I felt bad for her. She had a gloomy expression on her face. I couldn't help comparing this new Quinn to the one from two years ago. She was a completely different person.

"I'm sorry to hear about that," I said. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be here, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, for everything. For forgiving me, for listening to me, and for always offering to help me, even when I didn't do it back."

"I'm happy to help."

"But what about you? What are you going to say to Finn?"

"I don't know. I want to say yes, but I just feel like I can't. I remember all the fights that we've had, and also my career. We are way too young, and my career is very important to me, as you know," I said. Quinn had a thoughtful expression on her face, but she didn't say anything."

"What do you think I should do?" I asked.

"It might not be what you want to hear."

"Just say it," I said, anticipation present in my voice. I needed all the advice that I could get.

"Well, honestly, I think that the only way you can keep your career is to say no." She was right, I really had not wanted to hear that.


End file.
